Tonsillectomy

The attorney for an Oakland teenager who was declared brain-dead after suffering complications during tonsil surgery said he may go back to court to compel the state of California to rescind her death certificate.

Just over one year ago, 13-year-old Jahi McMath underwent a tonsillectomy and tissue removal at Children’s Hospital in Oakland to treat sleep apnea. The girl suffered massive bleeding, had a heart attack and was declared brain-dead Dec. 12.

Jahi McMath’s family has removed the brain-dead teenager from Childrens Hospital Oakland, but her case is far from over as the hospital faces a state investigation and a potential lawsuit from the family.

The family of a 13-year-old Oakland girl who was declared brain dead after suffering complications from sleep apnea surgery has achieved its goal of moving the girl to a new facility for long-term care, but medical experts say it may be just a matter of time before her body functions shut down completely.

Jahi McMath’s family lawyer has said she has been relocated to an undisclosed Catholic organization where she is receiving treatment, but now he plans on suing the spokesman for Children’s Hospital Oakland.

The Alameda County Coroner issued a death certificate Friday for Jahi McMath, a 13 year old teen left brain dead after a tonsillectomy on December 9th, despite the family’s efforts to keep her on a ventilator and move her to a care facility out of state. A doctor has also been found to perform the necessary procedures before moving her.